Army assists to build temporary shelter for homeless

Photo courtesy the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services.

The Social Development Ministry, together with the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force has started construction on a temporary facility to house street dwellers.

The temporary facility is being constructed on the ground level of the car park at Riverside Carpark, at the Centre for Displaced Persons (CSDP).

Work began over the weekend and is expected to be completed on Wednesday.

Beneficiaries will have to undergo a process of admission to the facility.

In the first instance, this facility will provide beneficiaries with cots to sleep on, bathroom facilities, a dining/recreation facility and three meals daily.

Cots will be laid on metal frames on the existing roadway for ease of maintenance and a female dormitory will be separate from the male dormitory, enclosed using sheets of ply board, and secured.

The male dormitory, and dining/recreation area will remain open and running water will be provided for washing hands, bathing and personal hygiene. A security fence is also to be erected to prevent illegal/unauthorised entry to the stairs of CSDP.

The Ministry said the facility will accommodate persons according to social distancing stipulations and guidelines and proper inspections will be undertaken by the Public Health Department to ensure that proper sanitation and living conditions are maintained.

Get the latest local and international news straight to your mobile phone for free: